Nightmare on One Tropicana Drive as Freddy Slices Up his Former Team in 6-2 Mets Loss

Rays 6 Mets 2 (Tropicana Field, Tampa, FL)

Mets record: 62-77

Mets streak: Lost 1

WP -Freddy Peralta (7-11, 2-2 with Tampa Bay)

LP-Sean Manaea (4-7)

Seat on the Korner: Freddy Peralta

We select a Star of the Game and virtually invite him to take his Seat on the Korner — just as Ralph Kiner did on WOR-TV Channel 9 during the early days of the New York Mets.

Continuing the tradition of Rheingold Beer sponsoring Kiner’s Korner, this season every seat is proudly presented by The Main Event Restaurant & Sports Bar.

With locations in Plainview and Farmingdale, The Main Event features 80+ HD TVs, fresh daily seafood, and Black Angus certified steaks—so you never have to choose between great food and the big game.

Facing his old team for the first time, Freddy Peralta gave up one run on three hits in six innings pitched with no walks and seven strikeouts. Peralta is now 5-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his career vs. the Mets. After hitting Nick Morabito with a pitch with two out in the second, Peralta retired the next 13 batters and was lifted after throwing 76 pitches in six innings. Juan Soto went 0 for 3 against Peralta and is now hitting .067 (1 for 15) in his career against his former teammate. Lindor hit his second career home run off of Peralta but is only hitting .167 (2 for 12) against him. In his last two starts for the Rays, Peralta has given up one run in 12 innings.

Need to Know

• Mets are 15-11 in their last 26 games. Mets will be seeking their 18th series win of the season, 8th on the road in Wednesday's rubber game.

• Mets have lost 7 of 8 against the Rays and 9 of 10 at the Trop.

• Mets had three hits in their first four batters against Freddy Peralta and did not have another hit for the remainder of the game. The Mets scored a run on four walks in the 7th inning.

• Peralta's 5-0 record against the Mets leads all active pitchers for the most wins without a loss against the team from Citifield. Braves pitcher Chris Sale is 4-0 against the Mets.

• Sean Manaea made his seventh career regular season appearance and sixth career regular season start against the Rays. The Mets left hander is 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA (8 ER in 35.2 IP) against Tampa Bay. Nick Fortes had two hits and is now 5 for 7 in 3 career games against Manaea. Jorge Mateo was 0 for 3 and is now 0 for 9 in his career against Manaea.

• Five Rays batters had multi hit games including Victor Mesa Jr. who had three hits.

• Tampa Bay is 74-0 when leading after eight innings.

• Before the game, the Mets called up OF Nick Morabito and RHP Dylan Ross from Triple-A Syracuse.

• Francisco Lindor's lead off home run was his second in three days, third of the season and 34th of his career. It was Lindor's 16th lead off home run as a Met. Trails Curtis Granderson and Jose Reyes (21 apiece) on the franchise's all time list.

Turning Point

The Mets trailed 5-1 in the top of the 7th when they mounted a rally against Rays left hand reliever Garrett Cleavenger. Jared Young and pinch hitter Marcus Semien drew back to back walks. Francisco Alvarez flew out to deep center field and just missed a three run homer as Young advanced to third. A.J. Ewing walked to load the bases and the Rays replaced Cleavenger with right hander Tyler Wells. Mark Vientos pinch hit for Nick Morabito and fouled out to Rays catcher Nick Fortes. Francisco Lindor walked on a 3-2 pitch to force in a run to make it a 5-2 game. Juan Soto swung at a 1-1 pitch and popped out to third to end the threat.

Three Keys

Take the Sixth

The 6th inning has not been kind to Sean Manaea and the Rays added on to that troublesome trend. Tampa Bay scored three runs on four hits to open a 5-1 lead. Chandler Simpson got it started with a single. Nick Fortes doubled into the left field corner to score Simpson. Fortes advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Walls. Yandy Diaz, who came into the game 0 for 6 in his career against Manaea, homered to center field. Ryan Vilade tripled, as the Rays hit for the cycle in the inning but was left stranded by Austin Warren, who had relieved Manaea. Manaea's sixth inning ERA climbed to 8.14.

Frankie Speaking

In 42 games since the All Star break, Francisco Lindor is slashing .247/.333/.481 with an OPS of .814 with 10 home runs, 24 runs, 23 runs batted in, 6 doubles, 1 triple, and 20 walks. On the flip side, Lindor made his 10th error of the season and fifth since the All Star break.

They Say It's Your Birthday

Dylan Ross made his Major League debut and pitched a scoreless inning by retiring Jonny DeLuca on a ground out to second, Jorge Mateo on a pop out to first and Chandler Simpson on a ground out to secon. Ross celebrated his 26th birthday and joined pitcher John Pacella (1977) and infielder Wilmer Flores (2013) as the only players in franchise history to make their Major League debuts on their birthday.